President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Mike Fennell (centre), conferring with second vice president Captain Horace Burrell (left) and first vice president Don Anderson at yesterday's press briefing to announce Jamaica's full delegation to the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Athens, Greece. The event was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer TAYNA LAWRENCE, the women's 100 metres bronze medallist in Sydney four years ago, has been added to Jamaica's athletics team for next month's Athens Olympics.
Lawrence, who was excused from the June 25-27 National Senior Championships because of injury, was yesterday among the 23 women ratified by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) at its official announcement of Jamaica's delegation to the Games.
Jamaica will compete in four disciplines - athletics, swimming, shooting and badminton.
Lawrence, who is down as an alternate for the 100m, will only compete if one of the top three from the national trials drops out.
In making the announcement at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday JOA head Mike Fennell said Lawrence had been asked by the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) to demonstrate her fitness and she had done this. The Florida-based athlete clocked 11.32 seconds in finishing fourth in the 100m at a Super Grand Prix meet in Stockholm, Sweden on Tuesday.
RELAY SQUAD
In a bid to bolster the relay squad for the Games, the JAAA has also added Kerron Stewart to the track and field squad. Stewart, who was sixth in the 100m at the National Senior Championships, will run the short sprint at this weekend's inaugural NACAC Under-23 Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada.
Fennell said teenage sensation Usain Bolt, though named in the men's squad, was still awaiting confirmation as far as his fitness was concerned.
Bolt jetted home from Germany on Tuesday night where he had been seeing a specialist for a slight hamstring tear. He met the JAAA's doctors on Wednesday and according to reports was given the all clear. The JAAA's technical committee is expected to view him in training today and over the weekend. Bolt is expected to fly to Europe on Monday for an engagement later in the week.
Also included in the track and field squad is the male athlete who tested positive for a banned substance during the National Senior Championships. His case is still pending and Fennell said the matter must be resolved by next week.
CONTINGENT
The total contingent is now 77, 52 athletes and 25 officials. Local-based track and field athletes and officials will leave for Germany on Monday for a seven-day camp in Nuremburg.
Fennell expressed high hopes for female shooter Dawn Kobayashi who will compete in the 10m air rifle event.
"Kobayashi has been having some remarkable results," Fennell said. "She is shooting very well and is now in the top rung of her event."
Kobayashi, a granddaughter of the late former national tennis champion Arthur Schole-field, is married to a Canadian.
The Jamaica Olympic team has attracted several sponsors including Digicel, Tru-Juice, Lasco and Puma who are providing clothing and paying for the pre-Olympic camp. The National Commercial Bank (NCB) is also coming on board and Fennell said a major announcement would be made soon.
